APM Sports Massage

Frequently Asked Questions

What is soft tissue therapy?

Soft tissue therapy covers a number of different techniques that work with the body's soft tissues. It can take the form of sports or remedial massage, stretching, postural assessment and exercises and a range of other techniques. It allows me to tailor you treatment to address your specific issue.

Is Sports Massage just for sports people?

This is a common question and the simple answer is NO. Whether you’re an elite athlete, take part in sport socially or you are someone who spends all day in the office or car you may benefit from sports and remedial massage.

What should I wear?

It is a good idea to bring a pair of shorts with you, or wear something that is loose and stretches easily. For anyone with long hair having a hair-tie available is a good idea. You can keep any clothing on that you choose during the treatment. Ultimately it is about whatever you are comfortable with and I will work around that.

How long is a session?

Your first session will be 60 minutes and will involve a comprehensive history, physical examination, postural assessment as well as treatment (if appropriate). The length of subsequent visits, if required, will either be 60 or 30 minutes depending on your needs.

How many sessions will I need?

The number of sessions will depend on your condition and the information acquired from the history and assessment. Further treatment will be discussed with you at your initial consultation.

Is treatment painful?

It can be but it doesn’t have to be. There are a number of different techniques used, some of which can be uncomfortable. At all times any discomfort will be what is tolerable for you.

How will the treatment progress?

At the initial session a detailed case history will be taken which includes full details of your current condition and your past medical history. This is a vital part of your treatment as it will help me to devise the best course of treatment going forward. A thorough assessment, likely to involve some simple tests, will help to identify possible causes of your condition.

We will have a full discussion regarding your treatment and agree on the aims of the treatment. This will include an estimate of the number of sessions necessary. It is very unlikely that one treatment will fix any concerns that are identified. As all individuals respond differently to treatments it may take 2 or 3 sessions to discover the most effective technique.

If I feel that the techniques I use cannot help with your condition I may recommend that you visit another health professional, such as a Physiotherapist or Osteopath.

Throughout the treatment it is important for me to have your honest feedback on the affect any particular technique is having. What works for one client may not produce the same result for another.

Can soft tissue therapy help if I'm training for an event?

Absolutely, whether that's pre or post event. Soft tissue therapy can help to keep your training on track by either preventing injury or stopping niggles developing into something more serious. As well as soft tissue work to relieve aching muscles we can work on stretching techniques or muscle firing patterns with the aim of making your body work more efficiently.